SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Mandaric pays price of ambition

Paul Thompson
Sheffield Wednesday

SHEFFIELD Wednesday’s ambition is reflected by the fact they committed more money to agents than any other League One club in their promotion season.

The Owls shelled out £332,620 to agents over 47 transactions. Chairman Milan Mandaric told The Star: “We brought in some good players.

“There was one player where we paid out £120,000, so take that out of the overall figure and it would have been less. Some people think certain players come free, but the agent comes in demanding more money which he could get from other clubs, so sometimes if you want the player you have to match that. That was one of the problems.”

Mandaric refused to name the player involved in the £120,000 pay-out. The 47 transactions for the Owls - revealed in a Football League report on clubs’ payments to agents - comprised 25 new registrations, three updated contracts, six cancelled ones and 13 loans.

Mandaric added: “We try to pay five per cent of the player’s salary over the period of his contract. As you can see, we did spend the money. We are an ambitious club. Unfortunately we will have to do the same things this year as well.” He said there are some good agents but he is not a great fan of some in the profession.

League One’s other promoted clubs, Charlton and Huddersfield, were second and fourth respectively in the payment table and play-off semi-finalists MK Dons were third.

Owls left back Mark Reynolds has joined Aberdeen on a season-long loan.